Tonight I'm reaching back to the archives to my favorite Dwight Yoakam album, 1990's If There Was a Way . It's a great record start to finish, and my cassette - yes cassette - got many many listens in its day. Dwight has always remained a steadfastly old-school country-boogie-swingin' honky-tonk man. My two favorites off the album are the title track, and "Turn it On, Turn it Up, Turn Me Loose". The latter track I've been looking for on YouTube for a while, and I finally found it. Who uploaded it to YouTube? Why, Warner Brothers Records, believe [...]
Last year Filter magazine had a light bulb of an idea getting native Kentucky songwriters/actors Dwight Yoakam and Will Oldham to interview one another. Upon seeing the artwork for the feature I knew I had to scan it for you good folks to see with your own eyes. Awesome, no? Being a [...]

Most folks today are completely unaware of Dwight Yoakam's original punk rock alliances at the beginning of his career. For when Yoakam started out his music was completely disregarded by the established country music regime who saw him as a honky tonk rebel, and instead embraced by the L.A. punk rock/rockabilly scene including X , and Dave Alvin among others. This reissue of Yoakam's debut Guitars, Cadillacs, Et. Etc. gathers up the demos from 1981 that originally scored Yoakam a record deal and began his shift into [...]

On October 17, Rhino Entertainment released Dwight Yoakam's reworked classic, Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.: Remastered and Expanded. Not only does it have the complete album, but it’s got a complete live show from the Roxy in 1986 (with the Babylonian Cowboys) and a group of the 1981 demos for the album. You might be surprised to find country here, but I’ve never considered the Yoakster a country artist. He’s tougher than that, and more genuine You can get it, and lots of other fantastic reissues, at Rhino Records website. A few [...]
100 Years (in Ten Jumps) 1986: Ivor Cutler, Roget. The Mekons, Oblivion. Pete Townshend, Save It For Later. David and David, Swallowed By the Cracks. Big Stick, Drag Racing. John Carter, Moon Waltz. Prince, Girls and Boys. The Judds, Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days). Robert Cray, I Guess I Showed Her. Timex Social Club, Rumors. Megadeth, Peace Sells. Dwight Yoakam, Guitars,

"We Have Nothing To Fear ... But Fear Itself "- FDR The Federal Govt.'s Homeland Security Dept. seems pretty pleased with itself this week. Their biggest offering to us this week is millions of travellers being slowed to a crawl, crushing business & tourism revenues. I like the part about millions of law abiding travellers waiting hours upon additional hours and being forced to throw out all liquids ranging from shampoo to cups of coffee to wine. I can just hear the TSA brainstorming session now... Hey Aside From Bringing [...]
For Kristin And Jessica Days pass by so seemingly slow Words in my mind are only for show Scattered images cloud inside my head The thought of me without you, leaves so much unsaid Dreams of a life without us apart Dreams of a life that would have filled my heart Pictures of you, trying to envision Dreams of sadness the only provision Clinging to fleeting moments of joy Times where
The Arcadia Theater has been a landmark of entertainment in Dallas, Texas for the past eighty years. That came to an end last week when the theater and adjoining buildings burned down to the ground. The Arcadia started with vaudeville in 1927 and then movies. The theater fell into disrepair for some years and was renovated as a live music venue in the early eighties. The first concert in 1982 was Bonnie Raitt , followed by all kinds of bands, from country ( Dwight Yoakam ) to punk. The Arcadia became a gateway [...]